Hot Rods Working on the Vicky body, a build thread with pics

I just love the Vicky body style! I've gotten' a lot done since I posted last. I"ll take some pics an update soon.

 

I’m subscribed. By your work and detail so far should be sweet.

 

A bit of an update. Since I last posted I've been busy in the shop as usual but I've also been through a bout with the Covid and came out swinging. As I mentioned earlier this car is really patterned to be a a 1964 or so era style, think Beach Boys and Drive Ins. This was the era I remember best and influenced me the most.

As discussed earlier I rethought the trans I was going to use and went with the 3.03 Tremec with the Jeep top. Now I have been blessed with a '66 GTO 389. This is the 4 barrel version and not a real Tripower but is is still a fairly hot motor. When I aquired it there were a bunch of boxes and pretty much nothing was in one piece. As this is supposed to be a 40 K motor that was pulled to put an LS in the donor car it was in extremely nice shape. I just cleaned up the bores and reassembled the carcass. I did add an pretty hot cam and a pair of #18 heads I used from another engine to replace the missing ones from the "kit". Amazing how much race tech went into these from the factory, great heads with factory guide plates, windage tray, high volume pump etc.

Comp supplied the cam and valve train. My wife gave me the aluminum factory duplicate intake for Christmas this year and I've managed to cobble the rest, including a super cool pair of Jardine headers off a guys garage wall to get this beast of an engine together this far.

To make the trans work I picked up an old blowproof bell on here and did a little rework to make it work with the Ford trans. A Ram light weight flywheel and 3000lb. clutch cam along with an 11" Ram disc hooks the trans to the business end of the Pontiac. The engine pulls 55 lb. of oil pressure using a worn out drill motor so it is actually pretty tight for a pretty much junk yard motor. I know the Pontiac is not a particularly popular hot rod motor but I have seen more than one cool one back in the day.

I"m waiting for my carb parts to rework the big base Rochesters. I sent the outside throttle bodies to the machine shop to open the venturi to 1 3/8", which I'll need to make them work right for this setup. I'll keep the 1 3/16" venture on the primary. My final comment is this motor looks HUGE setting next to a SBC! I'm pretty sure it will be OK in the Model A.

A couple pics-

 

Also Like to mention I picked up the extra cool Mallory dual point from 39LOW on here. Period perfect for this build. Can't wait to fire it on the stand and piss the neighbors off. The 'bell was supplied bu Speedy Gee on here. Thanks guys! I still have the factory high rise 4 barrel intake if anybody needs one. They actually make more power than the Tripower. I will need to rework the shifter to get it down and back from where it is before it goes to the chrome shop.

Pic of the trans setup.

 

I just came across your thread. I think your going to have a cool Vicky.
My roadster originally built in 1956-7 came with with the Houdaille shocks so it was an easy choice to re-use them, plus there isn't a lot of room under T fenders.
I don't have any pics of how I mounted them, but I drilled through both sides of the frame and welded in threaded tubing to bolt the shocks to.
I don't have a lot of suspension travel but the shocks seem to work great.

 

That T just can't take a bad photo, I've seen it twice at Pomona, hope to see it again if the events are on in 2021. Bob

 

Just an FYI (and please confirm to make sure). I just finished machine work on a 389 and my machinist said the pressure connection (where you have your oil pressure gauge in the pics above) are filter pressure. He recommended to me to use the small pipe plug just to the side of the distributor for a more accurate reading of oil pressure at the bearings (cam and crank). My machinist made the comment to me after he saw that I had my gauge sender screwed into the same port where you have your mechanical gauge............

 

Damn! Thanks much for the "Heads up"! I've put them down there on Chevys and the like for some time and didn't know the Pontiacs were different. I'll pop an extra gauge up top temporarily to see the difference and then when it's in the car I'll use the top port. I had no idea!

Super cool 389 there! I'll bet that one's a beast.

 

This is a diagram posted on the Butler Performance website. You can see the oil leaves the oil pump and goes into the filter. The connection on the back of the block will be more representative of pressure your bearings are seeing.

To be honest, unless you are just constantly thrashing your engine, I think either one would work.......but there is a difference.

Is this your first Pontiac engine? When you freshened the engine, did you remember to install the oil galley orifices in the back of the block?

 

I really didn't go through the whole engine. This was supposed to be a 40K engine and from the looks of the bores etc, it probably is. I just cleaned things up a bit, (it actually was near spotless inside and out), and reassembled it after checking tolerances as I went. I did replace the pistons with some 9-1 and just stoned the bores to let the new rings seat. So in fact it's more like a junk yard motor than a rebuild. It is a composite of three motors I picked up very reasonably. In short, I never got that into the block to pull plugs or even the cam bearings. If it lasts one summer I'm happy. I spent most of the time on it getting it as clean as possible both inside and out and making the brackets that allow it to fit in the tight space I have to work with.

There was a fair amount of thought put into adapting the Ford trans to the Pontiac engine and that is still not completely worked out. I need to change the throwout bearing to get a tad more movement in my clutch arm that whacks the 'bell now and I screwed up one of the threads when I was doing some other stuff so a Helicoil is in order.

I'm waiting on my carb bases and rebuild kits from Vintage Speed and as soon as they arrive I can finish the carbs and fire it up. Yep, this is my first Pontiac! I can use all the help I can get.

 

Banner weekend here! I took about an hour and fired the Pontiac on the stand. I hung a pair of Flowmasters on the headers to keep things to a dull roar and it started just about instantly. It is still louder than all hell. The motor sounds really strong, (and I mean really strong!), just right lope on the roller cam and great throttle response. I'm only running it on a trashed junk yard center carb as my rebuild stuff is still on back order but this thing is awesome to say the least. Can't wipe the smile off my face.

I need to rebuild the carbs and get it running right. This thing will definitely be a terror, no doubt at all.

I do have all the detail work on the trans conversion finished so no problems there.

KOZ IS A HAPPY CAMPER!!!!!!!!

 

Having read a thread today on HAMB etiquette made me realize how long it's been since I posted on this thread. Just a quick up to speed,

I haven't died, I've been busy as all hell this summer. I have collected a ton of parts for this although like everyone else, nothing is coming on time. I'm still waiting for some carb parts and I have no room on the jig with two more builds ahead of mine. The Pontiac is safely stored and my office is stacked one end to the other with goodies. Actually the only thing I need yet is some tires that are backordered and a few electrical parts. Other than that everything is here.

Hopefully I'll have some time right after the holidays to really get into it and have it ready for paint by early spring and on the road this summer. Way to much going on to miss another year. Also, this past Tuesday I lost some time for Cardiac surgery. Came through fine but lost a few days in the shop. All is good though.

Back at it, prepping one for color!

 

I had a similar pile of a shitbox several years ago.

 

Thanks for chiming in Koz...no pressure from this end...I usually plug a hello in Threads I follow or find in search...and ask how things are going...

I'm always happy to see Threads reborn after any hiatus's and it happens more often than not...

Healing thoughts your way and appreciate you're sharing the journey at whatever speed you desire...

 

Glad you're on the mend!

 

Hows Vicky @Koz? Vulcan comes to my mind...Get turned on!!...tiger tails come to my mind...

 

Working on it between shop projects. I need to run discs on it because of my feet so I took a little time and made some covers for the fronts to kind of mask the ugly. With the wheels on it doesn't look too ugly at all. Also a lot of other fabrication done so it's pretty much ready to go together for the last time. I'm going to set it up again next week so I can finish out the body work and get it squirted while I have a window in the shop open here. Thanks for asking. You keep me motivated!

 

That is a nice fabrication..that should tuck into the rim nicely...and get the big poncho slowed down in an admirable fashion...

 

For some reason I am absolutely obsessed with this roadster, actually a coupester. The wheel and tire combo along with the fact it is a channeled car that isn't eating weeds like so many today is just perfect, (except for the headlights). Time for me to simplify my Vicky and get it on the road. I've been way too worried about having all the cool parts that I'm not getting anything done. Time for an inventory and course correction.

 

A quick update......

As discussed above I've come to the realization I'd rather have something to drive as opposed to a great project sucking up shop space I can't spare so here goes. A few pics of as it sets. We put the Pontiac in my buddies '34 as he was almost ready to roll but was in need of power so it got him on the road. Also I donated my frame to another buddy who was in need of a platform to begin his roadster pickup project. Frames are easy for me to build and I know he appreciated it.

I kept my front end and rear along with the body panels. A couple weeks ago I took a Sunday and knocked out a quicky frame to take my axles. In the interest of time and money I decided to whack the body into a similar one on the cover of the above magazine. In the last few nights I fitted the panels to chassis with a whole lot of slice and dice. As the frame has a 3" Doane Spencer style sweep and the body a 2" channel I needed to move the wheel wells up 4 1/2" to get them where they looked right. The section job and some stretching and shrinking left the rest of the body panels fall into place. still a lot of panels to make for this although they are all super simple. I've got some ideas for the tail that I'm working on today. This has all been done so far on late night time after work and a little weekend stuff.

The pics don't do it justice as the proportion is spot on. I have the body braced up now and it is very square and symmetrical. Adam 401 did me a huge favor passing this one along to me. The shell is being set up to take one of my aluminum lift off roofs that Homemade hardtop57 is going to cover in Hartzcloth for me. I know whacking up a relatively rare body for something like this will not sit well but the amount of work to restore it was just out of the question. I just want something to drive and this is it. Time to make door templates and get them swinging. I may make them as overlay style doors. I know Vickys had insets is but I just like the way they look.

 

I forgot to mention, the shop is packed full with 4 cars so I'm building this in the driveway. I guess that makes it traditional?

 

Looks GREAT! Please check the PM I sent you. Bob

 

A few pics of from the last few days. I've been snagging an hour or so at the end of day and dedicating Sundays to my stuff. Lots of hammer welding and Mig work on this one. Sectioned the rear quarters 4 1/2" and dropped the dash rail 2". Really added to the "look". Working on a poor mans Hallock style windshield, well half a Hallock, and getting the door jambs in place. The body is a real bag of walnuts but is getting remarkably straight as it comes together. Hammer welded in the reveal from the stock body about 12" higher. Cutting out some blanks to fab corners somewhat like a deuce for the rear. I'm thinking '48 Chevy tailights. Cool, not over used, and best of all, cheap!

 

I'm really feelimg the proportions of this thing. I think the last 3/4 rear view you posted says it all for me. Run with it. This thing is gonna be killer. My 2 cents no roof.

 

I'll take your thoughts on the roof under advisement! I would like one of my lift off aluminum roofs with a Hartzcloth cover. Homemadehardtop57 is thinking a half Tonneau cover as it is getting a low roll bar like Hacksaw Bills car. Biggest decission now is hood or no hood. I'm thinking hood with about 100 punches. Came a long way from your driveway Adam. I'll make sure it wasn't wasted!

 

Long louvers are easier to sand.

 

Fitted up the windshield posts last night. I kinda think they will look just fine. The cardboard is glass size so it gives an idea of the height. Also caught a pic of the front brake covers. They look pretty damn good basically following DRuss's lead on this one. Time this week to cap and finish the windshield posts and mount the dash up where it goes.

 

The Penna Hotrod scene never fails to deliver premium Hotrod...I have been blessed with an appreciation for it for several years now...I honestly feel connected to it now owning and driving the collective soul built into it by Jerry and his many friends who like himself live, breathe and carry the rich history of the Central North US forward with ties that bind...

Lovin' the well documented build Koz...
I was at the JamUp yesterday in Rockton, ON...the Hotrod was very well received by the masses...Penna, Jerry and yourself were a highlight in my conversations all day long...

...the 240 mile or so drive was also dotted with 'Nice Hotrod' and 'That's so awesome can I take a picture'.

The fluidity of the swapping of so many of the pieces also highlight the near family like culture I speak of...

 

Your Vicky seems to be as bad as what I started with a few years back. Mine had been in a fire and every stick of wood that had been in that car was burned away. Like yours, there was no top in the front half and in the back all there was was some drooping "metal" that was so full of holes that it looked like some kind of lace. The bottoms of the doors inside and out were rotted away and long gone and the cowl was too rotten to use and even the gas tank top was unusable because at some point, it had exploded and reshaped itself like a puffer fish. Over the following months, my father and I managed to make a decent body out of it, building a roof, adding a 32 cowl, firewall, windshield frame and windshield header and fitting it to an spare 32 chassis that I had pulled out from under another old project and we put it all in epoxy primer to protect it until the day comes that I go ahead and finish it or at least get it running.

 

If you have time... can you supply me more info on the splicing ?? .... I am slow and am not understanding... Thank you ... Ricky.